James Wade finally put an end to a ten‑year wait for a European Tour championship when he defeated Ross Smith 8‑4 in the final of the Flanders Darts Trophy. The 43‑year‑old, whose last continental triumph came at the European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg back in 2016, delivered a superb performance in Antwerp on Sunday evening, posting a 95.50 three‑dart average and launching five maximum 180s during the match. Wade's road to the title was nothing short of dominant.
Earlier in the day he overcame Damon Heta 7‑4 in the semi‑final, after a ruthless 6‑0 whitewash of Danny Noppert in the quarter‑finals and a tight 6‑5 victory over Rob Cross in the last‑16 round. "Some weeks it's good, sometimes it's bad. That's how it is for me," Wade said after collecting the £35,000 winner's cheque.
"If it was good all the time, I'd smash them all to bits. We can't always select how we feel." The victory is particularly significant because Wade first appeared in a European Tour final in Austria in 2012.
This win marks his first title in the 150th event of the European Tour series, breaking a long‑standing drought and adding a much‑needed boost to his career résumé. Ross Smith, who had captured the Hungarian Darts Trophy just two weeks earlier, also enjoyed an impressive run on Sunday. He dispatched Gian van Veen, Ryan Joyce and Gerwyn Price in three separate last‑leg deciders before meeting Wade in the final. "I rode my luck today and the players have let me off, but Wade doesn't let you off ever," Smith admitted after the match.
"I admire him. I watch his game and I can only admire the guy. James thoroughly deserved the win today.
He's just—he's absolute class, isn't he?" The tournament's schedule highlighted several close contests. In the semi‑finals, Smith edged Gian van Veen 7‑6, while Wade beat Heta 7‑4. The quarter‑finals saw Smith survive a 6‑5 thriller against Ryan Joyce, and Wade delivered a flawless 6‑0 drubbing of Noppert. Earlier rounds featured a series of nail‑biting 6‑5 finishes, including Gian van Veen over Kevin Doets, Chris Dobey over Ryan Searle, and Wade himself surviving a 6‑5 battle against Rob Cross.
Looking ahead, the European Tour will shift to Switzerland for the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel, scheduled for 9‑11 October. Fans can also anticipate the 2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix in Leicester, where a 32‑player field has already been confirmed following the Belgian event. Defending champion Luke Littler joins a star‑studded lineup that includes Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton, James Wade, Josh Rock, Danny Noppert, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Stephen Bunting, Wessel Nijman, Ross Smith, Ryan Searle, Chris Dobey and Nathan Aspinall.
The top‑16 from the PDC rankings are seeded for the first‑round draw, while additional slots are filled by qualifiers from the ProTour rankings such as Luke Woodhouse, Kevin Doets, Jermaine Wattimena, Krzysztof Ratajski, Andrew Gilding, William O'Connor, Damon Heta, Rob Cross, Ryan Joyce, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Niels Zonneveld, Cameron Menzies, Niko Springer, Dave Chisnall, Sebastian Bialecki and Joe Cullen. The draw for the Grand Prix will be made on Monday, 14 September, and the tournament will run from 28 September to 4 October, with a newly‑enhanced top prize of £150,000. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, which continues to be the home of darts throughout the season, covering the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts in November and the World Darts Championship in December and January. Viewers can also stream the action via NOW without a contract, ensuring that fans worldwide can follow every dart thrown in these high‑stakes events.
Wade's breakthrough in Flanders not only ends a personal drought but also revitalises his standing among the sport's elite. His ability to maintain composure under pressure, as demonstrated by his steady average and clutch finishing, suggests that he could be a serious contender in the upcoming Grand Prix and beyond. For Smith, the loss is a learning experience that underscores the fine margins at the top level, and his performance throughout the tournament confirms his status as a rising threat on the European circuit. Overall, the Flanders Darts Trophy delivered drama, high scores and a compelling narrative of redemption, setting the stage for an exciting autumn of darts across Europe.